Indians match relay efforts
Falls boys, girls third at second GMC event
Everybody likes to win, but sometimes you have to admit you are just not good enough.
That was the conclusion the Menomonee Falls track teams came to. Both the boys and girls squads took third in the storm-delayed Greater Metro Conference Relays on May 6.
"It was just not our day, and it wasn't because of the performance and it wasn't because of a lack of competitive drive," Indians boys coach Mike Burling said. "Sometimes you just have to tip your hat."
The short-handed boys team bounced back two days later to win the nine-school Burlington Invitational on May 8 while the girls battled cold and windy conditions to take 12th in the Homestead Highlander Invitational on May 9.
In the GMC Relays, the Indians boys took their spot with 83 points as Brookfield East won with 101.5.
Falls took three firsts. The 400-meter team of Brad Tietyen, Matt Widule, Bryan Aldridge and Washington Farrington earned one (43.25 seconds); while the 6,400 relay of Nate Paulson, Tyler Mandry, Conor Rafferty and Isaac Newman (18 minutes, 42.32) and the sprint medley unit of Farrington, Aldridge, Cole Myhra and Tyler Trokan (1:33.78) took the others. The 6,400 race was split into two parts because of a storm.
The 1,600 team of Tietyen, Max Poeske, Ryan Zeman and Trokan (3:24.42); the 330 high hurdle shuttle of Widule, Adam Braatz and Troy Nielsen (48.76); and the distance medley team of Poeske, Stewart Van Horne, Rafferty and Mandry (10:51.1) were second.
The 3,200 unit of Van Horne, Newman, P.J. Weyer and Ryan Birschbach set a season best of 8:22.65 in taking third and the long jump trio of Widule (personal best 21 feet, 6 ½ inches), Derek Schmidt and Nielsen was one of three teams to break the conference record but could only manage third.
Widule won the individual title in the 300 intermediate hurdles with a personal best 39.43. He joined Braatz and Nielsen for third overall.
"It was a dog-gone good meet; that's why they call it competition," Burling said.
Burling was surprised with the win at Burlington. Falls won four events and scored 130 points to outdistance Janesville Craig (102). It was the second major outdoor meet title of the season for the Indians.
Falls individual winners were Washington Farrington in the 100 dash (11.22 seconds), Stewart Van Horne in the 800 (2:01.49) and Andrew Warden in the pole vault (12-0). Farrington was back after suffering a leg cramp in the relays while Warden and Van Horne each earned their first major invitational titles.
In addition, the Indians' 1,600 relay team of Poeske, Van Horne, Tietyen and Zeman won in 3:28.82.
The Falls girls scored 70 points at the relays. Defending state champion Brookfield Central dominated with 12 event wins and 136 points.
The Indians' 800 relay turned in a season best of 1:47.08 and won while the 400 crew was second in a season best of 50.51. Those teams consisted of Becca Davis, Kari Braatz, Alex Poole and Kayla Saxton-Edwards.
The long jump team of Poole, Edwards and Braatz was also second.
Indians' coach Andy Eisenbach also praised the effort of the third-place 6,400 team that included Nicole Hare, Meghan Braatz, Alexis Virlee and Becca Schmidt (25.00.24).
"I thought we had good balance across the board," Eisenbach said.
Steven L. Tietz can be reached at (262) 446-6619.
OTHER ACTION
BURLINGTON DEMON INVITE
TEAM SCORES (top three):
Menomonee Falls (boys) 130,
Janesville Craig 102, Lake Geneva Badger 95
OTHER TOP FALLS FINISHES: 200 - Aldridge, second (23.34); Zeman, third (23.55). 1,600 - P.J. Weyer, second (4:41.86). 110 high hurdles - Widule, second (14.72). 400 throwers relay - second (51.44). 400 relay - Widule, Kevin Scroggins, Aldridge and
Farrington, second (44.08). 800 relay - Widule, Tietyen, Aldridge and Zeman, second (1:31.01). 3,200 relay - Rafferty, Mandry, Newman and Van Horne, second (8:29.51). Long jump - Schmidt, third (19-10). Discus - Tony Nelessen, third (123-9).
LADY HIGHLANDER INVITE
TOP FALLS FINISHES: 100 - Edwards fourth (12.8). 200 - Davis, fourth (27.41). 800 relay - Edwards, Braatz, Davis and Poole, fourth (1:48.8). discus - Ciletti, sixth (99-4).
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